Vol. 405 No. 4
137 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if it is still the case that the United Kingdom control all of the areas around Irish air space in terms of the different oceanic air spaces around our island.
Following negotiations with the United Kingdom and French Civil Aviation Authorities and with the approval of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAQ), the Shannon Air Traffic Control Centre are, since 10 January 1991, controlling air traffic in the Shannon Oceanic Transition area — commonly known as SOTA. This is a block of approximately 30,000 square miles of air space south of Ireland, which was formerly controlled from Prestwick. This additional air space gives Ireland direct access to continental air space.
